10 best sandpits for kids and toddlers, tried and tested

Sometimes, it’s the simplest of designs that can captivate children’s attention for the longest. That’s certainly the case with this sand pit, which was a winner with our little testers, in terms of time spent playing.

While it’s roomy and a decent size, it isn’t an eyesore, thanks to its Scandi-inspired design and simple octagonal shape. This one’s great for siblings and playdates – little seating planks connected around the sides mean kids can have their own little spaces to play and sit without getting in one another’s way.

It’s fairly straight-forward to build, but does require the use of power tools to drill in the screws supplied – the brand’s website states it takes 45 minutes to construct but we found it took us a little longer than that.

If you have a little one aged around 18 months+, who’s craving more hands-on play, this combined sand and water table offers hours of fun. An ideal size for toddlers, it allows for a few children to stand around it, making it great for playdates or solo play.

It comes with 25 different tools and toys, which can be enjoyed along with a rotating water tap and sandpit. It also has a cute little parasol, meaning kids can keep under the shade during sunnier spells. It’s lightweight and a doddle to put together, too.

This classic sandpit – a popular feature in many gardens for a reason – is affordable, fun, lightweight and a hit with kids. Handily, it also doesn’t require assembly, so, children can get stuck in straight away.

As well as conveniently coming with a lid to ensure sand is covered (and toys are stowed away), we also found this sandpit very durable – the frame is able to withstand dents. Our testers also found it to be very versatile, using the turtle for water play, too.

Land ahoy! When it comes to a fun, adventurous design that will keep you little ones’ imaginations captivated, look no further than this nautical design. Whether it’s playing in the sandpit, sploshing around with the water bowl, drawing on the chalkboard or taking the wheel of the ship, there’s so much for kids to do with this construction.

A couple of drawbacks, though: it takes a long time to put together – it took us around four hours – and you’ll need to measure out parts. It would really benefit from having some pilot holes or being more straight-forward. School-age children may also find the canopy too low to stand on the deck, as our tester discovered.

If you’re short on garden space or have an early years toddler, this sand and water table is ideal. It’s lightweight, super easy to put together and comes with an array or tools and moulds to keep your little one occupied. There are also Peppa Pig stickers included, so you can get creative and pop them where you like.

The bright colour scheme is what you’d expect from a cartoon-character-based design – it might not be for those who like a more classic or minimalistic look, but it’s certainly a fantastic choice for a quick fix that won’t break the bank.

If you’re looking for a cute picnic table for your little ones or their friends, this is a go-to option. The extra benefit? Lift the tabletop and there’s a decent-sized sand play area underneath.

The table is a great size: the seats are just low enough for young toddlers and high enough for reception-aged children. It’s also a doddle to construct.

We’d recommend gathering some tarpaulin to cover the sand, as rain can get through the small slats in the table, but that’s a minor criticism for an overall great product.

Tuff trays are versatile multi-taskers that are great for indoor and outdoor creative and messy play. They also make fantastic sandpits, and can be stowed away after use. We loved that this tray came with the option of being used on the floor, or on legs, and that the legs have three different heights, so they can be adjusted depending on the age of your child.

Due to tuff trays not having the deepest edges, there’s only so much sand this one can hold before it starts spilling over the edge. However, that’s a small price to pay for the ease, practicality and portability of this great sandpit option. It’s also quick and easy to set up and dismantle – you literally click it together, so, no tools are required.

This eye-catching car sandpit really got our mini testers’ imaginations going. The kids were captivated for hours, taking turns using the steering wheel, messing around in the sandpit area and taking tools and buckets in and out of the secret bonnet storage area, which is a fantastic feature.

While the sandpit area did get a bit cluttered – it’s perhaps best for just two children at once – the interactivity of the design really keeps kids busy. The quality of the fir wood is also noteworthy, and appears to be very durable.

It’s also quite simple to put together – it took us just under an hour, and our little testers were chomping at the bit to play with it.

This mud kitchen is a good option if you’re considering buying a sandpit with added functionalities, or want a small section of sand. It comes with a small plastic sink-type bowl to house sand, and our little testers were more than happy treating that area as a small sandpit.

It looks great and the materials are sturdy and good quality. One thing to factor in is it takes a while to assemble and there are no pre-drilled holes, but it’s worth it once it’s up – especially if it gives you enough free time to put the kettle on.

While this slide and climbing wall is designed to be an extension to a Rebo wooden garden swing set, it can also be built as a standalone activity and sandpit resource for young adventurers. Although, it’s worth noting the sandpit liner, sand, and wooden lid are sold separately as part of a beach pack extension (£69.95, Outdoortoys.com).

Set in the base of the climbing wall, we loved how the sandpit can be covered when it’s not in use or during winter (helpful for keeping the neighbour’s pesky cats at bay, too). We were also really impressed with the quality of the pressure-treated timber, and this model kept our testers occupied for hours.